"I haven't watched it back so it has no significance in my mind. We've got to be on the front-foot tonight." - Coventry City's Tony Mowbray

14 April 2015

Kieran Crowley

The City boss wants to see his side shoot more as the Sky Blues face the Latics at the Ricoh Arena in a crucial League One clash...

Coventry City manager Tony Mowbray has expressed caution to his City side ahead of tonight's crucial League One clash against Oldham Athletic.

The Sky Blues face the Latics at the Ricoh Arena tonight with Mowbray's side three points above the League One drop-zone in 16th position.

A win for City tonight could see them go six points clear of relegation trouble and record back-to-back home wins for just the second time this season.

Oldham are safely in mid-table coming into the Ricoh Arena tie and Mowbray says teams with little to play for can provide tough opposition.

The City boss said: "Both types of opposition provide difficult games as Oldham can come here and maybe play with a little bit more freedom, slightly more relaxed which could aid their performance.

"You wouldn't expect them to play with a negative mindset. I would expect us to be very intense and that will help drive us forward on the night I'm sure.

"It can work both ways of course. I've been on both sides of the coin when you've got nothing to play for, you see your side play with a freedom. On the other side, you can see a tenseness and that can manifest in one of two ways.

"You could end up putting yourself under pressure, giving free-kicks away and not playing your natural game or it could see your side always first to the ball, pressing the opposition and on the front foot so we'll have to see if we can provide that positive reaction we need."

The Sky Blues suffered one of their worst nights of the 2014/15 season at Boundary Park when City lost 4-1 against the Latics in October.

Mowbray admitted he hasn't watched that game back but believes he has seen enough positive signs in the recent home games to see City claim three points.

He added: "I haven't watched that game back so it has no significance in my mind. I've watched them twice and it seems that they've got good technical ability and if we give them too much time with the football, they'll pick passes around us.

"We'll give them every respect but in truth, they're not far in front of us and if we beat them, they would only be one point ahead so it's not like we're playing a team who we've got to show total respect to.

"I do want to see the team shoot more. It obviously increases our chances of scoring but let's get the ball in their box more and increase the pressure on the opposition.

"I think we've seen really positive signs from our last one-and-a-half home games and now we've got to build on that tonight against Oldham and get some more important points on the board."